The present invention relates to remote control devices and electronic units controlled by the remote control devices.
Remote control handsets are used to control many different types of electronic units, including televisions, stereos, computers, video cameras, and video cassette recorders (VCRs). Conventional remote control handsets are battery powered devices with buttons that activate various operations in the controlled units. For example, a remote control (RC) handset for a television might include a power button, channel up and channel down buttons, volume buttons, and a numeric keypad.
When a user depresses a button, the RC handset emits a signal to the controlled unit to cause an action associated with the depressed button. RC handsets are typically implemented with an infrared (IR) transmitter that transmits the command signal using IR communication. The controlled unit has an IR receiver to receive the command signal generated by the RC handset.
The IR signal emitted from the handset is directional. With an IR-based RC handset, the user must first orient the handset so that the IR transmitter is facing the IR receiver on the controlled unit. Once the device is properly oriented, the user can press a desired button to initiate a desired action at the controlled unit.
With conventional systems, the controlled unit takes no action until the RC handset is oriented properly and a button is depressed. However, in many cases, the initial action desired by a user is the same, such as initially turning on the controlled device.
As electronic devices evolve and become more sophisticated, there are more activities that take place during the initial use of the controlled device. For instance, set-top boxes for televisions are being equipped with hard drives that require spin up during startup procedures (similar to a PC). Televisions and/or set-top boxes are being equipped with browser software and other technologies that go through a startup phase when first powered up. These electronics units, along with modem VCRs, are equipped with software to orchestrate a graphical user interface on the television screen that provides an on-screen menu to guide the user through various tasks and functions.
The startup activities associated with hard drives, software, and on-screen menus take time and may cause a delay to the user who is waiting to begin controlling the device. For example, after the user has oriented the RC handset and pressed the xe2x80x9cPowerxe2x80x9d button to turn on the device, the controlled device may cycle through a startup period that requires the user to wait before further commands can be input.
It would be desirable to devise RC-centric systems that minimize the startup time prior to controlling the controlled unit using the conventional buttons on the RC handset.
This invention concerns an remote control system that minimizes delay between the time a user picks up the RC device and the time when the controlled unit is ready to receive user-input commands.
The RC device is equipped with a handling sensor that detects when a user first picks up or otherwise handles the handset, without actually pressing a button or other input mechanism. The handling sensor is preferably implemented as a motion sensor that generates a signal when motion is detected. Alternatively, the handling sensor may be a proximity or touch sensor that generates a signal when the user contacts the handset, such as in those areas other than the buttons or input mechanism.
The signal generated by the handling sensor is automatically transmitted to the controlled device without requiring any user-input via the buttons on the RC device. The signal is received at the controlled device, which is on or in a sleep mode with minimal services that enables reception of the remote control signal. The signal is used to initiate the startup phase of the controlled device. In this manner, the startup phase is well underway before the user actually locates and presses a button on the RC device. Upon conclusion of the startup phase, the user may enter commands using the buttons.
The duration and activities in the startup phase vary widely from device to device. In some controlled devices, the startup phase may be very simple, such as waking up the electronics and powering on the device. Alternatively, in other controlled devices, the startup phase may involve initiating an operating system, spinning up a hard drive, or presenting an initial user interface menu.